Switch in particular for high-speed suspension railways



Jan. 22, 1929. 1,699,594

F. KRUCKENBERG ET AL SWITCH IN PARTICULAR FOR HIGH SPEED SUSPENSION-RAILWAYS Filed Jan. 24. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig.1.

F. KRUCKENBERG ET AL SWITCH IN PARTICULAR FOR HIGH SPEED SUSPENSION RAILWA-YS Jan. 22, 1929.

Filed Jan. 24, 1925 2 Sneaks-$116M 2 Patented Jan. 22, 1929.

i r, r

FRANZ KRUCKENBERG AIl'D CURT STEDEFELID, G EEZLDELBERG, GERMJiNY; $Al'l) STEDEFELD ASSIGNOR TQSAID KRUCKENBERG.

SWITCH 1N PARTICULAR FOB $USEENSION RAILWAYS.

Application filed January 24, 1925, Serial No. 4,569, and in Germany February 14, 1924.

Wit-h the high speed suspension railway, the s peed of which is very much greater than normal, the usual arrangement of switch inadequate because does not allow the linkup of the different rails in a sufficiently smooth manner. In the express lines of the normal railway the switches are as long as possible. Not only for this reason, but because the form of the curve, which results from this construction of switches is unsuitable, owing to the too violent transition at the greatly increased speed. transition can be attained by constructing the rail within the switch in a special curve. Suppose it is required, as in Fig.1, to connect two straight portions of track by a curve, then the curve must'be formed according to the following considerations:

From the maximum speed of the high speed suspension railway together with the permissible swing of the centerline of the car from the vertical, we obtain the minimum instantaneous radius of the curve. To avoid a sudden increase of centrifugal force which would reduce the safety of travel and could not be endured by the pas- 'sengers, we must reduce the instantaneous radius, r= o (on a straight track) to the above named minimum value of 1*, and then from this point return to the straight track by a steady continuous transition, since the centrifugal force varies in the same relation as the reciprocal value of theradius of the curve, 1/72 A picture of the conditions of the centrifugal force in the track curve (Fig, 1) can best be made if the values 1/1 are plotted graphically over the unit dis tance value on the line 8 of the track curve. From this can also be determined at what rate the centrifugal force increases at each point of the distance 8 by determining in each case the value $9, and then plotting it also above the trapk distance 8. The curve of the track is now determined for the given values of centrifugal force and acceleration of the suspension car. Moreover this curve must be quite uniform over its whole length.

Switches, the curves of which confori with the above conditions, cannot be constructed for high speeds in the normal manner. Moreover the principle employed in so called spring switches, in which the switch tongue is bent, cannot be employed in high speed railways, because of the great length This gentle of tongue necessary, also the moment of inertia of the rail would not be great enough, and the curve resulting from simple bending would not fulfil the above requirements. Moreover with the high speed railway the difficulties are increased by the fact,

be preferable to employ for stiffening the rail an additional steel construction, which usually already exists with elevated or suspended railways. If we bend the resulting longitudinal girder the resulting curve will not fulfill the above requirements, unless the force is applied to the bent gird-e." at inter mediate points of the curve.

The arrangement can be constructed more simply and easily, if the supporting construction of the rail and sleepers (or rail brackets) are constructed so as to be movable sideways and if we construct a mechanism, which moves simultaneously the sleep ers or brackets, and pushes or pulls them against abutments, which are so placed as to form a curve in accordance with the above mentioned requirements. In this case the safety of action can be increased by increasing the small moment of inertia of the rail itself, by stiffening it along its whole lengthby combining with it where possible along the whole length a strip of metal'of heavier section.

The operating mechanism must be capable of pushing or pulling simultaneously the rail brackets or sleepers a definite distance to one side or the other and pressing where possible the sleepers and rail brackets against the abutmeuts with the same force. This can be done e. g. by means of one or more electric motors and a gearing mechanism e. g. worm-wheels, driving shafts, which have along their length cranks of appropriate thiOW. If we use the above mentioned increased section rail, the operat- 812, inc., and described later.

1 curvature, ;:and of the change 1n centrifugal force along the curved section of track,

Fig. 3 is a de view of the high speed suspension railway butt ended switch;

Fig. 4t is a plan view of the same taken from below;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View which illustrates in detail the means for actuating the switching rail;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the rail supporting bracket and the means used to increase the longitudinal rigidity of the rail, and

Fig. 7 is a corresponding side view;

Fig. 8 is a top-plan. view of the means for connecting the end of the switch-rail to the branch rails;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the plane of line AA of Fig. 8.;

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are detail views of the elements shown in assembly in Fig. 8;

Fig. 13 illustrates the position of the switching rail with respect to the main track rails with which it is alternatively connected;

Fig. 14: is a plan view of a track system consisting of a main track and as sidetrack having adepot located thereon and illustrates diagrammatically automatic means for shunting. the car onto the side track when the veloclty of the car does not exceed a certain amount.

In Fig. 3 from below) and Fig. 5 (section) is shown a high speed railway butt ended switch. The rail brackets m are e. g. movedby the cranks a situated on the shaft Z andpressed against the fixed abutments 0, the shaft [being driven by means of the motor 9 through the worm gear is. In Fig. 3 i representsthe arrangement for pressing together the joint faces of the rails, which is shown in Figs. Fig. 6 (side view) and Fig. '7 (end view) show the :mannor of increasing the longitudinal stiffness of the rail, e. g. by means ofa'channel iron 79, that runs along the rail brackets m. The pressing together of the railends, mentioned above, can be done by meansofthe arrangement, shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In these drawings the mechanism is situated at the point t, wherethe switch rail joins the main track U. There a rotatable piece W interposed in the rail, which can be moved by a side view Fim l' olan view lever V. This intermediate piece is capable of being rotated on the bolt X in the axis of the railt, but is not movable in the direction of the axis since it is held against longitudinal movement by key 6. With the fixed rail U the switch rail is engageable by means of a screw oflarge'pitch Y, which is also in the axis the rail section. The joint pieces of the intermediate piece W and of the rail U are not plane, but are formed as helices, having the same pitch as the above mentioned screw Y in the rail-U. Byturningthe intermediate piece W by'means of the lever V a corresponding rotation is imparted to screw Y and the switch rail 27 is forced away from the end of the fixed rail U. Likewise by rotating the piece W inthe reverse direction it is forced towards the rail U due to the corresponding rotation of. screw Y until there are no joint spaces between the helical faces of the end of rail U and part W as shown in Fig.8. The action of this-intermediate piece is naturally the same, if it is fitted onboth ends with screw threads and helical faces and if it is fitted at the free ends or in the middle of the switch rails or at each end of branch rails.

of the high speed car over the switch, is

For the shocklessrunnine of the wheels rail Ab and tile track rails U and U shall correspond exactly (F ig: 13). This is provided for by such an arrangement as that shown in Fig. 13. The ends U and U ofthe branch rails have very exactly fitting fish plates, which project into the space, through I fish plates E and E for a smaller distance,

than the longitudinalmovement of'the switch rail A, caused by the intermediate pieces shown in Figures 8 and 9. The end of the switch rail A fits between the ends of the fish plates D and D, Eand-E respectively very accurately.

in operating; the switch, for example in changing the track from U to U the procedure is as follows:

First by means of the lever V the intermediate piece VV is turned (Figs; 8 and 9) and the switch rail A (Fig. 10) is consequently moved longitudinally out of: engagement with the fitting ends of the branch rail U, then the switch rail A by means of the mechanism indicated in Figs. 3-5 is moved sideways, until it engages with the rail U. The sequence of these operations may be controlled by means of a blocking device in the operating mechanism or by making the mechanism in such a way, that it performs the operations automatically in their proper order. I

The tracks of such high speed suspension railways require for their transition curves, curves and switches, much more space, than is normally the case and very often a compromise must suiiice. The arrangement of tracks at an intern'iediate station may consist of a main track with large radius curves tor through-trains with high speed, while the curves of the looptrack, leading to the station can have a much smaller radius, suited to the smaller speed incident upon starting and stopping.

The above described butt ended high speed railway switch, which requires a comparatively long time for operation, can advantageously be left blocked normally in the main track position, until the speed of the car, which requires to pass by the branch track to the station is announced to be below the maximum permissible. This announcement can be arranged automatically by means of two rail-contacts, arranged in such a manner that the first operates a time-relay, which will not act, if the second contact is operated too soon by a car, which is travelling still too fast, e. g. if the car should be insu'iiiciently braked over the measured section, the switch will be retained automatically in the main track, and the car will be able to take the curve at its high speed, so that an accident will be avoided,

A switching arrangement of this character is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 14. T his arrangement comprises a main track H connected to the depot K by the side track H and suitable switches F, the latter being constructed as has been described. In order that the train may be switched onto the side track H safely, it is necessary to maintain its speed below a certain rate. Switching under these conditions may be automatically accomplished by providing two track-buttons 1 and 2 connected electrically to the motors which operate the switches by any suitable type of time-relay systems. The train by passing over the first button 1 sets the time-relay device into operation. The buttons 1 and 2 are spaced so that the action of the time-relay device will be stopped unless the time between the successive contacts of the train with the track buttons is below a set value, and hence the switches F will be automatically thrown or maintained in the normal position according to whether the speed of the train is less than or exceeds a predetermined rate.

What we claim is:

l. A butt ended switch especially adapted for high-speed suspension railways having a movable switch rail adapted to be bent into its appropriate curve, means for bending the switch rail and holding it 'immovably in its final position, the curve being so shaped that the reciprocal value of the mstantaneous radius which is a function governing the value of the centrifugal force varies over the length. of the rail from Zero on the straight track to the maximum value at the sharpest portion or the curve, the rate-oivariation of this function over the whole rail being uni form. V

2. Butt ended switch, specially for high speed suspension railways, as claim 1, having the special feature, that the longitudinal stiffening ot' the rail is increased by means of a construction ioined to it, substantially as set forth.

3. A but-t ended switch as claimed in claim 1 having means for longitudinally pressing the movable switch rail against the fixed rails whereby the elasticity eliminates jall open joints.

l. A but-t ended switch as claimed in claim 1 provided with operating mechanism con structed and arranged to draw back the switch rail, move it sidewise into the new position and then thrust it into forcible contactwith the tixed rail.

A. butt ended switch as claimed in claim 1 comprising means for locking the switch rail normally in the main track position and automatic means governed by the speed of an approaching car for, locking or unlocking said locking means.

6. A butt ended switch especially adapted for high speed suspension railways, comprising a main rail, branch rails, a movable switch rail adapted to be bent into an appropriate curve to alternatively connect the main line with one of said branch rails, means for bending the switch rail and holding it immovably in its final position, the curve being so shaped that the reciprocal value of the instantaneous radius which is a function governing the value of the centrifugal force varies over the length of the rail from zero on the straight track to the maximum value at the sharpest portion of the curve, the rate of variation of this function over the whole rail being uniform, means for longitudinally expanding the end of the movable switch-rail against the end of the branch rail connected therewith, thereby eliminating all open joints, means disposed at the end portions of the branch rails for securing the switch-rails while in the expanded condition in accurate alignment therewith, said means being arranged so as to permit the switch-rail to be moved laterally into connection with another branch rail only when said switch-rail is in the contracted position.

7. A butt ended switch especially adapted for high speed suspension railways, compris- Bil ing a main rail, branch rails, a movable switch-rail adapted to be bent into an appropriate curve to alternatively connect the main line with one of said branch rails, fixed abutments arranged along the line of the curve, and means for forcing the switch rail supports against said fixed abutments.

8. A butt ended switch especially adapted for high speed suspension railways, com prising a main rail, branch rails, a movable switch-rail adapted to be bent into an ap propriate curve to alternatively connect the main line with one of said branch rails, means for bending the switch-rail into an appropriate curve, said means including supports for mounting the switch rail, and means for moving said supports comprising a shaft, motor mechanism for operating said shaft and cranks, and connecting rods connecting the shaft to the switch-rail supports.

9. A butt ended switch especial y adapted for high speed suspension railways, comprising a main rail, branch rails, a movable switch rail adapted to be bent into an appropriate curve to alternatively connect the main line with one of said branch rails, a plurality of means attached to the switch rail at spaced intervals for applying bending pressure thereto.

10. A butt ended switch as claimed in claim 9, provided with means for operating the plurality of rail bending means simultaneously 11. A butt ended switch as claimed in rails whereby the elasticity eliminates all open joints saidmeans comprising an intermediate piece mounted on a threaded bolt arranged in the center of the rail profile, cooperating faces formed on said intermediate piece and on the end of the rail, said faces being helical and of the same pitch as the bolt, and accurately fitting each other.

12; A butt ended switch'especially adapted for high speed suspension railways, cont prising a main rail, branch rails, a movable switch rail adapted to alternatively connect the main line with one'of said branch rails, means for longitudinally expanding the end of the movable switch-rail against the end of the branch rail connected therewith, thereby eliminating all open joints.

13. A butt ended. switch as claimed in claim 12, wherein the means for expanding themovable switchrail comprises an intermediate piece mounted on a threaded bolt arranged in the center of the rail profile, cooperating faces formed on said intermediate pieee and on the end of the rail, said faces being helical and of the same pitch as the bolt, and accurately fitting each other.

In testimony whereof we afiix our-signatures.

FRANZ KRUGKENBERG. CURT STEDE'FELD. 

